Overview

Society today, writes Stephen Post, is "hypercognitive": it places inordinate emphasis on people's powers of rational thinking and memory. Thus, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, which over an extended period incrementally rob patients of exactly those functions, raise many dilemmas. How are we to view—and value—persons deprived of what some consider the most important human capacities?

In the second edition of The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease, Post updates his ...

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Overview

Society today, writes Stephen Post, is "hypercognitive": it places inordinate emphasis on people's powers of rational thinking and memory. Thus, Alzheimer disease and other dementias, which over an extended period incrementally rob patients of exactly those functions, raise many dilemmas. How are we to view—and value—persons deprived of what some consider the most important human capacities?

In the second edition of The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease, Post updates his highly praised account of the major ethical issues relating to dementia care. With chapters organized to follow the progression from mild to severe and then terminal stages of dementia, Post discusses topics including the experience of dementia, family caregiving, genetic testing for Alzheimer disease, quality of life, and assisted suicide and euthanasia. New to this edition are sections dealing with end-of-life issues (especially artificial nutrition and hydration), the emerging cognitive-enhancing drugs, distributive justice, spirituality, and hospice, as well as a critique of rationalistic definitions of personhood. The last chapter is a new summary of practical solutions useful to family members and professionals.

Editorial Reviews

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine

With this second edition of The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease, Post has enlarged upon his original work in a way to make it even more useful and current. The updated version now gives a highly readable strategy for dealing with end-of-life issues, such as artificial tube feeding and dehydration. In his characteristically clear manner, Post equips us with the necessary facts and then cogently suggest how to proceed humanely and with absolute consideration of the person who should be at the center of concern.

— Peter M. Jucovey

Health Progress

Post has provided a well-researched book with an outstanding bibliography that will be helpful to all caregivers as well as health care providers. The text provides information to guide readers before and during ethical and moral decision making and is very sensitive to the various emotions one endures when the diagnosis is AD.

Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings

In summary, then, Post proposes a new ethic in regard to terminal dementia care. The considerations proposed in this book offer a meaningful guide to both health care professionals and families in dealing with these special issues and advocate a natural death for these patients, freeing families from the sometimes enormous sense of guilt they encounter in making decisions about life extending interventions.

New England Journal of Medicine

Health professionals who deal with dementia, as well as family members who care for relatives who become disabled, will find this book thoughtful, engaging, and provocative.

Heythrop Journal

The genuine concern and caring that permeates this well-researched, informative and moving book leads me to recommend it highly both to academic and general readers.

Journal of Long-Term Care Administration

This is a much needed and inspirational addition to the literature of Alzheimer's disease... Ethics Committees will find it invaluable as will nursing home administrators, directors of nursing, and all who care for people no longer able to care for themselves.

First Things

An intelligent and morally informed treatment of dementia in the aged.

American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

Full of nourishing food for thought... The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease presents the reader with a clear offering of concerns, ideas, and issues about the quality of life and quality of choice issues.

Health Affairs

Stephen Post has produced an outstanding, potentially classic book. It is well written, clear, patiently argued, and broadly referenced. Readers can learn much about Alzheimer's disease from this book.

Perspectives in Biology and Medicine
- Peter M. Jucovey

With this second edition of The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease, Post has enlarged upon his original work in a way to make it even more useful and current. The updated version now gives a highly readable strategy for dealing with end-of-life issues, such as artificial tube feeding and dehydration. In his characteristically clear manner, Post equips us with the necessary facts and then cogently suggest how to proceed humanely and with absolute consideration of the person who should be at the center of concern.

New England Journal of Medicine

Health professionals who deal with dementia, as well as family members who care for relatives who become disabled, will find this book thoughtful, engaging, and provocative.

First Things

An intelligent and morally informed treatment of dementia in the aged.

Heythrop Journal

genuine concern and caring that permeates this well-researched, informative and moving book leads me to recommend it highly both to academic and general readers.

Journal of Long-Term Care Administration

This is a much needed and inspirational addition to the literature of Alzheimer's disease... Ethics Committees will find it invaluable as will nursing home administrators, directors of nursing, and all who care for people no longer able to care for themselves.

American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease

Full of nourishing food for thought... The Moral Challenge of Alzheimer Disease presents the reader with a clear offering of concerns, ideas, and issues about the quality of life and quality of choice issues.

Health Affairs

Stephen Post has produced an outstanding, potentially classic book. It is well written, clear, patiently argued, and broadly referenced. Readers can learn much about Alzheimer's disease from this book.

Booknews

This second edition updates Post's (biomedical ethics, Case Western Reserve U.) account of the ethical issues relating to dementia care. With chapters organized to follow the progression from mild to severe and then terminal stages of dementia, Post discusses topics including the experience of dementia, family caregiving, genetic testing for Alzheimers disease, quality of life, and assisted suicide and euthanasia. New to this edition are sections dealing with end-of-life issues, cognitive-enhancing drugs, distributive justice, spirituality, and hospice, as well as a critique of rationalistic definitions of personhood. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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